INTRODUCTION TO INTRODUCTION TO COMMUNICATION COMMUNICATION THEORYTHEORYSome preliminary commentsSome preliminary comments

WHAT ON EARTH IS WHAT ON EARTH IS “THEORY” ??“THEORY” ??

1.1. A CONVERSATIONAL exampleA CONVERSATIONAL example

““Well, my theory is…this war is Well, my theory is…this war is reallyreally about about something else; it’s about oil.”something else; it’s about oil.”

Limitations of this kind of Limitations of this kind of theory:theory:

- “simple”- “simple” - specific case- specific case

- single factor- single factor- to be worth anything it needs - to be worth anything it needs

evidence evidence - evidence might be - evidence might be indirect indirect

(generally not so good) or (generally not so good) or directdirect

Making the theory more Making the theory more sophisticatedsophisticated

Let’s construct a theory that Let’s construct a theory that

- has a clear rationale- has a clear rationale

- applies to several instances- applies to several instances

- suggests some kind of causal - suggests some kind of causal relationshiprelationship

- deals with two or more - deals with two or more variablesvariables

- has - has predictivepredictive value value

ExampleExample

In wars that have mainly In wars that have mainly economic economic causes, causes, national leaders are more likely to national leaders are more likely to hide hide the “real motives”the “real motives” for war from the for war from the people, especially when there is people, especially when there is considerable economic injusticeconsiderable economic injustice within within the country. the country.

RationaleRationale

This is because it is more difficult to This is because it is more difficult to convince people to make sacrifices when convince people to make sacrifices when war is perceived as mainly to do with war is perceived as mainly to do with economic advantage than it is to do with economic advantage than it is to do with personal or national security. First of all personal or national security. First of all such a war is seen as less moral. such a war is seen as less moral. Second of all, such a war is seen to Second of all, such a war is seen to benefit elites rather than masses. benefit elites rather than masses.

What kind of evidence?What kind of evidence?

A sample of wars, over a specified period of A sample of wars, over a specified period of timetime

Some measure that distinguishes between Some measure that distinguishes between wars entered into principally for economic wars entered into principally for economic reasons as against other kinds of warreasons as against other kinds of war

Some measure of how national leaders present Some measure of how national leaders present the reasons for war to their peoplesthe reasons for war to their peoples

Some measure that ranks countries in terms of Some measure that ranks countries in terms of the degree of justice/injustice that they the degree of justice/injustice that they manifest in their internal distribution of wealth manifest in their internal distribution of wealth or economic power. or economic power.

Some Things to Notice Some Things to Notice About TheoriesAbout Theories

Worthwhile theories are supported by Worthwhile theories are supported by evidenceevidence Theories with staying power Theories with staying power develop over timedevelop over time: :

get more sophisticated, become more precise get more sophisticated, become more precise in their identification of the conditions under in their identification of the conditions under which they apply, relate to more variableswhich they apply, relate to more variables

Theories with staying power tend to Theories with staying power tend to explainexplain reality and may even reality and may even predictpredict reality. reality.

Theories often emerge from PARADIGMS Theories often emerge from PARADIGMS and/or WORLD VIEWS.and/or WORLD VIEWS.

A thought about A thought about communicationcommunication

Two basic approaches to communicationTwo basic approaches to communication

(1)(1) Linear approaches obsess about the Linear approaches obsess about the message, and who is sending the message message, and who is sending the message to whom, under what conditionsto whom, under what conditions

(2)(2) Interpretive approaches are more concerned Interpretive approaches are more concerned about MEANING: how does any given “text” about MEANING: how does any given “text” become capable of rendering meaning, and become capable of rendering meaning, and how does any “reader” make meaning from a how does any “reader” make meaning from a text?text?